Below is my first article for ALN Magazine. This has been reposted with permission.

Welcome to The Corner Office.

This column is for all of us sitting in that proverbial corner office with its big windows and private bathroom and have struggled, succeeded and sometimes failed at providing the leadership necessary for our success and that of our staff.

Trying to get it right all the time is quite the ambitious undertaking and should be attempted with caution. That said, getting it right is actually what we are called to do as we sit in our “corner office.”

Collectively, getting it right on a granular level might look different for each of us, however at 30,000 feet getting it right really looks the same; providing quality animal care and welfare, expert support of research initiatives and the growth and development of those who report to us.

For the purpose of this column, we are going to stay at 30,000 feet considering the areas of training (learning and development) critical to assisting us in leading our staff to success. I have been told that very simple principles and tools repeatedly practiced can have a huge effect closer to “the ground”—where the real work also happens. Let’s see if that’s true.

A Different PerspectiveHave you ever been on a flight with a mountain of work you were planning to get done? Often, this is the only opportunity for some uninterrupted time. Well, on this trip we are going to get that mountain of work done, but first let’s take some time to look out of the window.

What I hope we see at this height is perspective. Things do look quite different when we take a step back. If we want to have any impact on what happens on the ground, there are a few things we can do at this level to achieve personal success and the success of our staff.

Inspired by those of us that sit in the corner office and want to do good work and dedicated to those who aspire to sit in the corner office, let’s take this journey together and get some perspective at 30,000 feet.

Who We Are

William Singleton, DVM, ACLAM, Dipl.

A board certified laboratory animal veterinarian having over 15 years
experience working in the laboratory animal field. He has over 7 years
experience in the development and implementation of training programs in
the pharmaceutical industry and academic institutions. William is an
active member of the laboratory animal community and professional
organization that promotes the health and well being of research
animals. His strong passion and vision for quality training has been
part of the driving force behind the creation of ACTS.

Paula Clifford, MLA, RLATG, CVT.

Paula Clifford strongly believes in the empowerment of the individual
through knowledge resulting in the highest quality of care and use for
research animals. She has fourteen years experience in the laboratory
animal science industry, the last ten focused on developing,
implementing, providing, and assessing training programs in support of
animal based biomedical research. Paula has a Masters of Liberal Arts
from the University of Pennsylvania. Her graduate work focused primarily
in training program evaluation for animal care and use programs. She
obtained her Bachelors degree from Rutgers College, and an Associate’s
Degree in Applied Science (for Veterinary Technology) from Camden County
College. She is currently a licensed veterinary technician and AALAS
Certified as a Registered Laboratory Animal Technologist. In 2009, she
was recognized for her contributions to training in the laboratory
animal science field at National AALAS by being awarded the Collins
award. She is an active member of many organizations that promote
education.

Our promise is to engulf your work environment in optimism and empower creative thinking, while taking your staff on a journey to achieving their highest potential.